Researchers at the University of California, Riverside found that early-life exposure to the Western diet and implementing aerobic exercise routines may lead to a healthier lifestyle later in life.
The study, released in Physiology & Behavior, included rodents who were fed a variety of diets, including a Western diet.
Throughout the study, the California-based research group measured aerobic capacity and the levels of certain hormones, including leptin.
According to the findings, early-life exercise was associated with higher levels of leptin, providing researchers a greater understanding of dietary habits and exercise for promoting a healthier lifestyle.
“Our findings may be relevant for understanding the potential effects of activity reductions and dietary changes associated with obesity,” researchers wrote in a press release.
“Overall, the long-lasting effects of early-life exercise were more pervasive than those of Western diet, suggesting critical opportunities for health intervention in childhood habits, as well as possible threats from modern challenges.”
“These results may be relevant for understanding potential effects of activity reductions and dietary changes associated with the obesity epidemic and COVID-19 pandemic,” the findings showed.
